FOR THE LOVE OF HEIST

BLESSED ARE THE DEAL-MAKERS? The executive committee of the Ramapo Democratic Conference insulted Ramapo’s large Christian community by holding their nomination convention on a Sunday

Better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.

Even when God is involved!

That appears to be the policy of Ramapo Democratic leaders. The leadership held a nominating convention for the replacement of the legally deposed Councilman Smuel Tress this past Sunday, choosing one “Mr. Rossman” amongst light attendance at the Ramapo Cultural Arts Center in the Village of Spring Valley.

Many Democrats, regardless of religious affiliation, were outraged.

Preserve Ramapo’s Michael Castellucio pointed out in his regular website column, “If the meeting had been called for Saturday morning (the Jewish Sabbath) there would have been hell to pay–cries of illicit political exclusion and craven anti-Semitism—but since this was called for a mid-Sunday morning (the Christian Sabbath) all that was required was a disingenuous apology from Chair/operative Mona Montal to excuse the scheduling.”

He said, “The proposal was made to retroactively approve the appointment of a Mr. Rossman by the executive committee, which the chair said happened on September 6. I made a motion to appoint Rodrigue Lustin, who had previously run for the seat (in 2011). I made the point that there are several people who have run, and received the support of thousands of Democratic Rank and File in past primaries, and that we should consider one of them first. I stated that these include Daniel Friedman, Patsy Wooters, Bruce Levine, Robert Rhodes and Rodrigue Lustin. I made reference to a similar situation in East Ramapo, where the board appointed someone who had run for the position, and she (Sabrina Charles-Pierre) had worked out fine.”

White said a series of votes, some of which were interrupted by the Town Clerk or by Mr. Levine (a lawyer) for procedural issues, followed. It soon became clear that most of the room favored the choice of the executive committee. However, it is equally clear that the majority in the Ramapo Democratic committee are unwilling to seriously consider suggestions from the minority.

Preserve Ramapo Chairman Robert Rhodes saw what was coming on Saturday, September 17, writing in a mass email, “Tomorrow morning the Ramapo Democratic committee is meeting to nominate a replacement for Smuel Tress, their previous replacement on the Democratic town board. Why Sunday morning when religious Christians go to church?

“If Mr. Sussman receives their nomination to run as the Democratic candidate for the vacant town board position and if he elected I hope he will go to town board meetings wearing a raincoat. On one side of him will be Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence who is currently under criminal indictment by the U.S. federal attorney. On the other side will be town attorney Michael Klein who is current under civil indictment by the SEC. Sitting just below them will be Mona Montal, director of Purchasing, who was probably the leader of the folks who ran the fraudulent single member district referendum.”

Rhodes announced himself as a council candidate at the committee meeting but was defeated by Rossman.